| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum: Gloria treated him so badly. But she remembered why.
"I guess your heart is frozen, all right," she said to
the Princess. Gloria nodded gravely, in reply, and then
turned her back upon the little girl. "Can't you like
even me?" asked Trot, half pleadingly.
"No," said Gloria.
"Your voice sounds like a refrig'rator," sighed the
little girl. "I'm awful sorry for you, 'cause you were
sweet an' nice to me before this happened. You can't help
it, of course; but it's a dreadful thing, jus' the same."
"My heart is frozen to all mortal loves," announced
The Scarecrow of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Time Machine by H. G. Wells: `That's good,' he said. His eyes grew brighter, and a faint
colour came into his cheeks. His glance flickered over our faces
with a certain dull approval, and then went round the warm and
comfortable room. Then he spoke again, still as it were feeling
his way among his words. `I'm going to wash and dress, and then
I'll come down and explain things. . . Save me some of that
mutton. I'm starving for a bit of meat.'
He looked across at the Editor, who was a rare visitor, and
hoped he was all right. The Editor began a question. `Tell you
presently,' said the Time Traveller. `I'm--funny! Be all
right in a minute.'
The Time Machine |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Hellenica by Xenophon: Besides these they now ordered out on active service the troops
retained at the beginning of the campaign in attendance on the
magistrates at the government offices. Agesilaus being still disabled
by his infirmity, the city imposed the duty of command upon his son
Archidamus. The new general found eager co-operators in the men of
Tegea. The friends of Stasippus at this date were still living,[19]
and they were stanch in their Lacedaemonian proclivities, and wielded
considerable power in their state. Not less stoutly did the Mantineans
from their villages under their aristocratic form of government flock
to the Spartan standard. Besides Tegea and Mantinea, the Corinthians
and Sicyonians, the Phliasians and Achaeans were equally enthusiastic
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: Vain science! thou assistest us in no case of this kind--and thou puzzlest
us in every one.
There was, Madam, in my uncle Toby, a singleness of heart which misled him
so far out of the little serpentine tracks in which things of this nature
usually go on; you can--you can have no conception of it: with this, there
was a plainness and simplicity of thinking, with such an unmistrusting
ignorance of the plies and foldings of the heart of woman;--and so naked
and defenceless did he stand before you, (when a siege was out of his
head,) that you might have stood behind any one of your serpentine walks,
and shot my uncle Toby ten times in a day, through his liver, if nine times
in a day, Madam, had not served your purpose.
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